Earlier this week, Donald Glover – otherwise known as Childish Gambino – released an app named Pharos with a built-in countdown timer but no indication of what it was winding down to. Today, he’s ended the suspense, sharing information on a full album experience and a list of shows in Joshua Tree, California, where he will debut his brand new material. In the app, users are zipped through space towards a blue object which seems to symbolize Earth, but there’s no real clear indication of the concept or direction Glover is taking as of yet. Pre-sale tickets for the newly-announced shows will be available within the app from June 24 at 9 a.m., and general sale kicks off June 27 at 9 a.m.
The Nicki Minaj collaboration that Meek Mill teased on Instagram a few weeks ago has finally come to light in the form of a low-quality Twitter snippet. Over the weekend, DJ Akademik tweeted out a brief preview of “Froze,” which also features up-and-comer Lil Uzi Vert. Nicki doesn’t feature in the sneak peek, but it’s easy to identify Meek’s aggressive flow and Uzi’s charismatic hook. The last time Meek and Nicki worked on a track together was “All Eyes On You” – Will “Froze” be a worthy follow-up? Listen to the snippet below.
Man is this LIT or what? Gon be Uzi X meek and Nicki pic.twitter.com/L1Vjymg6gY
— DJ Akademiks (@IamAkademiks) June 18, 2016
According to Anderson .Paak, his collaboration album NxWorries with Knxwledge is finished. The rapper/singer/dancer/drummer and all-around renaissance man announced the news earlier this morning on Twitter.
If that’s not enough to get you hyped, he followed up that news by referring to the album as a “masterpiece.”
That’s saying a lot for someone who already put out one of the best albums of 2016, Malibu, and worked alongside Dr. Dre last year, contributing to six tracks on the legendary producer’s comeback album Compton. He was introduced to Dre by none other than DJ Premier, and ended up playing a major role in crafting the songs “All In a Day’s Work,” “Issues,” “Deep Water,” “For The Love of Money,” “Animals,” and “Medicine Man.” Shortly after Compton debuted, Dre signed .Paak to his Aftermath record label.
NxWorries is a joint project between .Paak and Knxwledge that formed last year. It’s an interesting pairing of two artists on the come up who both had a hand in some of the biggest albums of 2015. Knxwledge was heavily invested in the creation of Kendrick Lamar’s genre-defining album To Pimp A Butterfly last year, producing the song “Momma” for the Top Dawg rapper.
Iggy Azalea has made a major announcement regarding her relationship status with fiancé Nick Young.
In a post on Instagram, Azalea reveals that her and the Lakers guard have called it quits. Azalea wrote that she tried to rebuild her trust with Young, but just couldn’t.
The couple was planning on getting married. Young proposed to Azalea on his 30th birthday last year. At the time, Azalea was beyond excited and posted a few photos of the engagement ring on Instagram.
Remember the 1977 movie Black Samurai? Maybe not. But thanks to Common and the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, you’re about to have fond memories of D.R.A.G.O.N. (Defense Reserve Agency Guardian of Nations) agent Robert Sand. Common has signed on to star in a TV reboot of the Al Adamson film (itself an adaptation of the 1974 book series by Marc Olden), according to Variety.
“Robert Sand is like black Jason Bourne,” producer Andre Gaines (Da Sweet Blood of Jesus) said in a statement. “Black Samurai is one of the most unique, timely and fun experiences I’ve ever read, while at the same time tackling some serious subjects around race and diversity.” The project, currently being shopped with “much interest,” is looking for a writer and director. RZA is attached as an executive producer, alongside Wu Films’ Diane Crafford and Mitchell Diggs.
Last night, Gucci Mane hit the stage at Mission Elan club in Atlanta, Georgia and gave his first live performance in years. The space was jam packed with fans eager to hear the Trap God spit bars over some of his biggest hits and his newer material. Guwop didn’t disappoint—his set included bangers like “Go Head,” “Pillz (Bitch I Might Be),” and “First Day Out.”
As one of the most high profile and beloved rappers to come out of the city of Atlanta, the homecoming show seemed to have an especially celebratory air about it. In footage making surfacing on social media, you can clearly hear the audience gathered in the club shouting back nearly line at Gucci as he spit them.
This first show since his release from prison is just the latest step in Gucci Mane’s reintroduction into the music scene. Upon his release from a Federal penitentiary last month, Guwop immediately signaled that he was back by dropping his the single “First Day Out Tha Feds,” produced by Mike WiLL Made-It. Since then, the mayhem has only increased, first with his head-spinning verse on Kanye West’s Cruel Winter track “Champions,” in which he called out all the Gucci clones, and then again later on his collaboration with Drake, “Back On Road.”
50 Cent and Dr. Dre are being accused of having jacked the beat for 50’s 2003 hit “P.I.M.P.” and then lying about it once they were caught.
According to TMZ, producer Brandon Parrott sent beats to Dr. Dre back in 2001. He then claims to have gotten a call from one of Dre’s people saying that one of the tracks, called “BAMBA,” had been used for 50’s song “P.I.M.P.,” off of his blockbuster 2003 album Get Rich or Die Tryin’. On the album’s liner notes, the sole producer listed for “P.I.M.P.” is former D-12 member Denaun Porter.
Parrott says that he signed a settlement deal after being told that no one involved had any idea that his beat would end up on the final version of the song. But now, he claims to have heard interviews that make clear that was a cover story, and 50 and company intended to use the beat all along. As a result, Parrott is suing both 50 and Dre. The dollar amount of the lawsuit is not yet known.
Parrott is credited on Wikipedia with production on “P.I.M.P.” along with Porter.
Attempts to contact 50 Cent and Dr. Dre for comment were not immediately successful.
Season two of Empire has had a number of star-studded guests including Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Tyrese, Rosie O’ Donnell, and Chris Rock. Xzibit appeared during the season as Leslie “Shyne” Johnson, who was the direct rival to Lucious Lyon, played by Terrence Howard. Xzibit appeared in season two’s finale will have a regular role in the upcoming third season.
Xzibit—real name Alvin Joiner—confirmed the announcement on his Instagram. “Thankful for the opportunity and excited to “bring it” with the rest of the stellar cast already in place,” he wrote.
This isn’t his first time Xzibit’s been on the big (or small) screen. He’s had roles in 8 Mile, xXx: State of the Union, and The X-Files: I Want to Believe. He’s also famous for hosting and producing MTV’s unscripted series Pimp My Ride.
Xzibit’s “100 percent wolf and 100 percent gangster” character will be developed through multiple episodes, so fans of the series can expect more confrontations with Lucious Lyon. Season three will premiere on Sept. 21.
Bonding with the fam is important. For Amber Rose, who is set to launch her new Dr. Phil-produced VH1 show, family bonding can often start with a simple twerk. Rose stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers on Thursday to chat all things MuvaMoji, The Amber Rose Show, and—yes—family twerking, and she revealed that her mom and son both love when she twerks.